5 Things to Consider When Buying an Air Purifier

Because energy-efficient homes trap contaminants inside, your indoor air is often much more polluted than the air outside. An air purifier will help create cleaner, healthier air in your home or office. When shopping for an air purifier, consider the follow questions to help you find the best air purifier for your needs.

1. Why do I need an air purifier?

First, consider your indoor air quality needs. If you have allergies, you should choose an air purifier designed for allergy relief. These units feature HEPA filters, or High Efficiency Particulate Air filters, which are proven to eliminate 99.97% of common airborne allergen particles sized at 0.3 microns and larger. These include pollen, dust, dust mites, mold spores, ragweed, and pet dander. HEPA air purifiers are also widely regarded as the most effective air purifiers on the market.

If you suffer from asthma or if your symptoms are triggered by odor and chemical pollutants, you'll want to consider an asthma air purifier or an odor and chemical air purifier. These air purifiers contain activated carbon filters to absorb odors as well as HEPA filters for allergen removal. Another option, smoke air purifiers are specifically designed to remove smoke, fireplace soot, and other associated fumes that could aggravate existing respiratory conditions or cause unpleasant odors in your environment.

If you are extremely sensitive to chemicals, we offer air purifiers for multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). These units contain even more activated carbon and are often manufactured with inert materials that will not off-gas chemicals into the air and aggravate your symptoms.

2. Where will I place my air purifier?

In most situations, we recommend that you place your air purifier in your bedroom since that's where you spend most of your time. Keep in mind that portable air purifiers are designed primarily to purify the air in one room only, so you may need to invest in additional units for other rooms. Alternatively, you can choose a unit that includes caster wheels and other portability features to make it easier to move it from room to room.

As another option, whole house air purifiers are becoming popular choices for clean air in every room of your home. These units connect to your home's existing HVAC system to purify your indoors as you heat, cool, or ventilate your home.

To select the right size air cleaner for your space, calcuate the square footage of your room by measuring the length and width of your room in feet and multiplying those two numbers together. Then, find an air purifier with a square foot coverage range that matches your room's square footage. Most manufacturers will list their air purifiers' square foot ranges in the product specifications.

3. How much maintenance will I have to perform?

If you're using a filter-based air purifier, you should replace filters at the manufacturer's recommended intervals to maintain the unit's high level of particle and pollutant removal. Depending on how many air purifier filters your unit uses, you might need to change them at different times. For example, your air purifier's HEPA filter might last approximately one year while its activated carbon filter lasts 6 months and its pre-filter (if equipped) lasts 3 months. When shopping for an air purifier, be sure to take the cost and frequency of future filter replacements into consideration. The typical filter life of all included filters is often listed in the product specifications.

For simplicity, some air purifiers - such as select Winix air purifiers - use one combination filter as the only filter that needs to be replaced. In addition, other types of air purifiers, such as our AirFree air sterilizers and Germ Guardian air sanitizers, use heat or ultraviolet light to purify your air and kill germs and allergens. These units never need filter replacements for your convenience.

4. Is noise level a concern?

All air purifiers produce some noise. If you're concerned about the noise level, look for the unit's decibel (dB) rating listed in the product specifications. This measurement will allow you to compare the noise level to that of other appliances, such as a fan or a refrigerator.

5. Do I need any special features?

After choosing the type and size of air purifier you need, consider whether or not you'd like to take advantage of special features. Added features may include caster wheels, handles for easy mobility, digital controls, remote controls, multiple fan speeds, filter change indicators, programmable timers, air quality sensors, and more. These features add convenience to operation and give you greater control over your air purifier's performance.

For more details and recommended considerations for how to choose the right air purifier for your needs, read our Air Purifier Buying Guide.

Still Have Questions?

For more information on a specific air purifier or other air treatment solutions, browse our products and visit our Knowledge Center. Not sure what's best for you? We can take the guesswork out of decision-making. Contact one of our air treatment specialists at 1-800-934-9194. We want to help make your indoor environment healthy and comfortable.